Masicka’s “Slip & Slide,” produced by Di Genius, has claimed the No. 1 spot on the US Reggae iTunes chart just hours after its release on Friday, April 24.
The track samples the Jamaican folk classic “Hill & Gully Ride,” a song rooted in the mento and ska eras.
Hill & Gully Ride had many key versions spanning all the eras of Jamaican music.
Mento / Folk versions becomes popular in the 1950s with:
Lord Composer – Hill and Gully Ride / Mandeville Road (1954)
Edric Connor – Hill and Gully (1952)
Traditional mento medleys – Hill & Gully / Mandeville Road
Blue Glaze Mento Band – Hill and Gully Ride
Ska (1960s):
Laurel Aitken – Hill and Gully Ride
Duke Reid – Hill and Gully Ride (1964)
Baba Brooks – instrumental versions
Alva Lewis – Hill and Gully Rider
In the 1950s, The Tarriers released a version of Harry Belanfonte’s the Banana Boat Song which includes the “Hill & Gully Rider” chorus, which placed 6th on 20 February 1957 on the US Top 40 Singles chart.
Later reuse came by way of Yellowman, Elephant Mant, T.O.K and Busy Signal.
